Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Maybe it's time to bring former UNC player Ethan Albright, a long snapper, back into the fold in Washington.

A botched snap from Albright's replacement Nick Sundberg almost cost the Redskins the game against the Cowboys. A chip-shot field goal in the third quarter never got off the ground because Sundberg snapped high and hard to the holder who couldn't handle it. Even if he had handled it, the likelihood of the field goal being blocked was great.

The field goal would have made the final score 16-7 and the holding call on the last play of the game would have been a mute point.

Albright, 39, handled long snapper duties for more than a decade. If the new Redskins coaches really wanted to go young, why did they bring in Donovan McNabb, Larry Johnson and Vonnie Holliday, among other older veterans? You normally build for the future with guys who play almost every down, not long snappers.

If Coach Mike Shanahan thinks the Redskins have a chance at making the playoffs, you'd think he would have stuck with Albright's experience. As one sports journalist wrote, "(Long snapper) has not been an area of concern for the Redskins for years, with Ethan Albright handling the duties perfectly for almost a decade."

Perfect for a decade and now a botched field goal on his first game gone. It appears than Albright has not hooked up with another team. Bring Albright back.

PANTHERS The Panthers brought back kicker Rhys Lloyd after Todd Carter, his replacement, had back spasms after a kickoff Sunday.

Lloyd is used as a kickoff specialist and had previously done well for the Panthers but they decided before the year to go with the younger and cheaper Carter. The Panthers reached an injury settlement with Carter.